[chapter twelve]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please. ;-)
This story is gonna be darker, and deal with serious, sometimes disturbing
issues. Just so everyone knows. Okay? Okay.
**
~Faye's POV~
"What happened to your hand?" I ask Jimmie the next morning at the shop, immediately noticing his bruised and bloodied knuckles.
"Smashed it in a door." He says quietly, his eyes meeting mine directly.
My ass.
I know it's a lie.
I've used so many of those lies, I know.
I never meant for him to…I never meant for something like this to happen.
"Jimmie, I'm sorry, I just…"
"How's my girl?" Matt's says from behind me, his voice syrupy and sweet.
I wince slightly and Jimmie's expression darkens.
"Hi honey." I say brightly, turning around as he kisses me on the lips. "Just talking to Jimmie about this week's story."
"Hey, Jimmie." Matt says evenly.
"Hey, man."
This is not good.
**
"What the fuck? You can't go two minutes without talking to another guy when I'm not around??" Matt spits at me from across the lunch table.
"I told you, we were just talking."
"I swear to fucking God, Faye…"
"Leave me alone."
I barely recognize my own voice as I say the tiny words.
"What?" He says, his voice deep and barely audible. "What did you say?"
"I said, leave me alone, Matt." I repeat, my voice a little stronger.
"I can't fucking believe this, you…"
"You know what?" I ask softly. "If you didn't ever want me to talk to another man, why did you bring me around your work, where it's 99 percent men, huh? It's going to happen every once in a while."
I can't believe I'm defying him.
I'm going to pay for this.
I know it.
"I wouldn't mind, if I didn't think you weren't fucking all of them."
I close my eyes against his harsh words, but say nothing.
"I have to go back to work, but this discussion isn't over." He says, rising from his chair and leaving me alone.
I know.
I still have to pay for it.
In bruises and blood.